


Better Together

by girlwithaplan



Category: The Great Wall (2017)
Genre: Assault, F/M, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Sexual Favors, Nightmares, Oral Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Smut, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:47:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlwithaplan/pseuds/girlwithaplan
Summary: Tovar has retired from selling his sword and is in need of a wife.
Relationships: Pero Tovar/Reader, Pero Tovar/You
Comments: 8
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

Generally, you make a point to avoid weekly church meetings, but this week you made an exception. You’d been told by the barkeep that the mysterious man (whom you’d learned was called “Tovar”) has stuck around for more than a day, saying he was looking for a wife. The announcement would likely be made at the end of the service, so you slipped in late and stayed near the door, observing from as far back as you could get. You’d been sure you’d never have a suitor at this point, so why not throw your hat in the ring and give yourself a chance at more than spinsterhood? 

You couldn’t spot him in the crowd, so maybe he would show up later. Finally, blessedly, the service ended and the announcement was made that if anyone had daughters or marrying age who weren’t betrothed, Tovar was looking for a wife. He had a small house on a decent plot of land near the river and he’d pay a modest dowry as well. You couldn’t help chuckling to yourself; if he married you he could keep his money. 

You made your way to the front with a handful of people who’d also been staying for the same purpose. The other two women standing in the group were beautiful, delicate women—you knew their fathers were the wealthiest in town. Looking down at your own plain dress, you started to feel a little uncomfortable. But the minister stepped back in just then with the man himself in tow and suddenly he was all you could focus on. 

He’s so much more  _ handsome _ up close than you’d realized. 

The most striking feature is the finger-length scar over one eye, but you find it difficult to decide which part of his face you like most. He has a strong jaw and a prominent nose, deep brown eyes and a scruffy beard. His hair is nearly shoulder-length and you want to run your fingers through it, mess it up some more. 

You’re so lost in your own thoughts that you barely hear what the other two girls’ fathers are saying on their behalf. One of them must’ve made a snide comment about you because Tovar’s eyes snap to you immediately and your hearing seems to come back online as you meet his gaze. 

“What could  _ you _ possibly have to offer any man?” one of the fathers sneers at you. It hurts a little, but you’ve heard worse said about yourself. Quickly, you cut your eyes to the man who spoke and fix him with a withering stare when you reply,

“For one thing, I’m significantly cheaper.” 

There are gasps from the group and you fight the urge to roll your eyes. You feel Tovar staring at you and when you look back towards him, you realize you’ve got his full attention with your comment.  _ Well _ , you thing,  _ here goes nothing.  _

“It’s true,” you start folding your hands in front of you so you won’t fidget, “I’m not accomplished and I have no family to speak up for me or to collect coins for my hand.” 

Closing your eyes, you take a breath and continue, unaware that Tovar has not moved his eyes from you, drinking in every word you say. 

“But I’m a hard worker. I’ve been able to take care of myself by myself for over a year now since…” you trail off, not wanting to get too emotional, “since my family passed. It’s been difficult, but I haven’t given up. I might not be a perfect wife or even a very pretty one, but I’ll try my best to do good by you if you do the same for me.” 

You venture a look at Tovar and he seems like he’s thinking very hard. His brows are furrowed and he nods over at the minister before exiting out the back door. The entire group is dismissed, advised by the minister that whoever he chooses will be contacted by morning. 

…

The rest of your day drags by, not much left to do since it’s Sunday and you’re anxious. What started off as a split-second decision now feels like a prize dangling just out of reach. Would he really want someone like you? It was impossible to know yet, but the way he gave you his full attention made a little glimmer of hope ignite in your chest; maybe you did have a shot after all. 

Just after dinner, you’re sitting down to mend some of your stockings you’ll need for the upcoming winter when there’s a soft knock at your door. Quickly, you stow your sewing back in the basket and answer it, surprised but thrilled to see Tovar standing there, alone. 

He considers you for a moment, scowl firmly in place. You ask if he wants to come in and he nods, following you inside your small dwelling. As he looks around, you start to feel a little self conscious about your home—it’s not much to look at. Since your parents passed, a small shack on the edge of town was all you could afford. There was enough room for your small bed, a table with one chair, a few pots and pans, and a trunk that held all your other worldly possessions. 

Tovar stood in the middle of all you owned with his hands behind his back and an unreadable expression. You offered him the chair and he initially hesitated until you pulled up the trunk and sat on it, then he seemed to relax enough to sit. 

“You said your family passed?” he asked and you nodded. 

“It was a house fire,” you told him, shrugging, “I wasn’t home until it was too late.” 

Tovar nodded in return and informed you that he had no family left either. 

“My father died in the war and my mother passed when I was a young man,” he said, wiping his hands on his trousers, “so I took up the sword for pay and that was my life’s work until traveling took its toll.” 

“It must have been a hard life,” you empathized, imagining long days and even longer nights on the road. 

“It was,” he said, turning to look at you fully, “but now I have a house and a plot of land all my own. My hunting brings in more than enough to be comfortable. I thought that would bring me happiness, but…” he trailed off, taking a deep breath. You could tell he wasn’t a talker normally, he seemed to consider each word carefully so you didn’t push. 

“But,” he finally finished, “I must confess it is a lonely life.” 

He looked at you again, his big eyes so expressive for so stern a man. You felt like maybe you and him were similar souls, drifting alone, no one to come home to, no one to hold. Cautiously, you reached a hand out to cover his own. Tovar didn’t move away from your touch so you spoke, 

“I understand. That’s why I waited today after the service even though no one wanted me there.” 

Tovar raised his eyebrows at you in question, so you continued, 

“I’m sure you could tell, but I’m not well-liked.”

You made to pull your hand away, but Tovar held onto it, his grip light enough that you could’ve pulled away if you wanted to...but you didn’t. 

“After my family died and I was able to get this shelter,” you explained, “I had an altercation with the minister’s son.” 

You chanced a look up at Tovar and he was listening, rapt with his eyes on your face. 

“He..” you hesitated, swallowing down your fear of rejection just for admitting this, “he helped me get my home and my belongings together. He seemed so kind and I was so  _ lost _ after the fire. But he wanted payment for his services,” you explained and Tovar’s brow furrowed, clearly confused. 

“I didn’t have money,” you attempted to explain without really explaining, “so he said he would warm my bed in exchange, but I refused as he was married.” 

The scowl was back on Tovar’s face so you finished up your story quickly, 

“So he spread around that I threw myself at him and no one believed me when I said he was lying. A few people came to me after and said they believed me, but no one stood up for me against the minister's son. So I keep to myself.” 

You chuckled and looked up at Tovar before you admitted, 

“I almost didn’t stay after today because I didn’t want to feel their stares.” 

Tovar still held your hand delicately in his grip, bringing it up to his lips and pressing a kiss there before he said, 

“I am very glad you did, hermosa.” 

Your stomach fluttered at gesture and you asked, 

“Hermosa?” 

He laughed and said, 

“Ci, yes, I am a Spaniard so that is my mother tongue, I speak it sometimes.” 

“What does it mean?” you asked, hoping this visit meant what you thought it did. 

“It means beautiful,” he said, and he took your other hand in his before kneeling on the floor in front of you. 

“I want you to be my bride,” he told you, his sudden confidence sending a thrill through you, “we can make a good life together and I promise you won’t be lonely with me.” 

The grin that split your face was wide as you nodded and told him, 

“Yes, I would like to be your bride, Tovar.” 

“Pero,” he told you, standing up and pulling you up with him by your joined hands, “my first name is Pero.” 

“Pero,” you whispered, squeezing his hands. 

He told you that you would be married tomorrow and leave the village as well if you wanted and you enthusiastically agreed. He had a horse and a small sled he used to bring his pelts to sell, it would be more than enough room for your one small trunk. 

“You will have to ride with me,” he told you, “and it will take more than half the day to get there.”

You agreed and he released your hands to take his leave. He opened the door and started to walk away before he heard you call his name softly and he turned around, taking in your form in the moonlight. You approached him and asked, 

“What is the word for handsome in your language?” 

He thought for a second, slowly crowding into your space until you were backed up against your front door. He watched your face for signs that his advance was unwanted, but saw only stars in your eyes as you gazed at him. 

“Guapo,” he told you, his breath an inch from your face. 

“Your face is very guapo,” you told him and he afforded you a small smile at your words, “I wouldn’t mind looking at it for the rest of my life.” 

“Eras mas hermosa,” he whispered to you before pressing his lips against yours. 

He only meant for it to be a short peck, but your soft hands cupped his face and drew it out longer, sighing into his mouth before you pulled away. 

“Until tomorrow,” you told him, grinning widely. 

“Until tomorrow,” he said back before he retreated into the darkness. 

As you lay awake that night, trying to sleep, you thanked whatever deities might exist that he chose you, seemed to see you and listen to you, and want a life with you. For the first time in a year, you only had peaceful dreams until sunrise. 

…

The ceremony the next morning was short and sweet. He said his vows, you said yours, and when the minister said  _ you may kiss the bride _ , Tovar really kissed you, earning some scandalized gasps from the dozen people in attendance. Oh he was going to be more fun than he looked, you realized as he gripped your hand tightly, guiding you out of the church and straight to where his horse and cart were waiting. 

He climbed up first and you squeezed in behind him on the saddle. You hesitated to grab onto him until he informed you once you’d cleared the village, 

“The road is uneven, you will need to hold onto me, wife.” 

You laughed and did as you were told, wrapping your arms around his waist. 

“Okay, husband,” you said, teasing, “try not to throw me off before you can get me home.” 

He muttered something under his breath at you, but he kept the horse steady, so steady in fact that you found yourself dozing against his strong back. His body was broad and solid under you and your mind couldn’t help but wonder what was underneath for you to explore. 

It was nearly dark by the time his home came into view, and he pulled up to the side of it, telling you that he would take care of the animal before he joined you inside. The weather was turning cold, so you started the fire in the hearth and drug your trunk inside while you waited. Tovar had an actual bed, bigger than the small cot you were used to, and you couldn’t help yourself from laying across it, savoring the softness. 

When Tovar enters and sees you laying on his bed, he freezes, mouth suddenly dry. He shakes his head and looks around to see you’ve already lit the fire, but he doesn’t approach the bed. You’re surprised at his hesitance, so you ask, 

“Do you not want to consummate our marriage, Tovar?”

“It is not a question of wanting, princesa,” he retorts and you don’t know a lot of Spanish but you can guess what that endearment means. It puts whatever lingering nerves you had to rest, seeing him with a little anxiety. He finally comes over, sitting on the edge. You move, daring to sit next to him so your thighs nearly touch. He’s radiating heat and after getting to feel him against you the entire ride here, you’re ready to take the next step. 

“I have never,” he starts, picking at a thread on his sleeve, “I’ve never forced myself on anyone and I will not start today.” His stern promise makes your heart flutter in your chest, it makes you feel bold enough to lift your hand to brush his hair out of his eyes. Tovar looks up at you sharply and you return his gaze with a soft smile before you tell him, 

“What if I told you I want to?”

There’s a tense silence while he stares at you with his unwavering scowl and you do your best to keep eye contact, hoping your eyes show the sincerity he’s looking for. 

“If you want to wait,” you tell him, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Tovar states at you for a few more silent minutes before he nods in your direction and starts to remove his boots. You do the same, shedding your shoes and placing them next to the bed. His shirt comes off next and you know your eyes have gone wide at  _ finally _ seeing him bare except for his breeches. 

Hastily, you pulled your dress over your head, leaving your in just your underskirt and bodice. Tovar’s own eyes grow darker, roaming hungrily over your newly bared skin. He stalks over to you and puts his hands on your hips, tugging slightly at the fabric while he watches your face. You nod and he yanks the skirt and your undergarments down your body before pushing you back on the bed and covering your mouth with his in a sudden, heated kiss. 

It’s a little rough, but you don’t mind as he keeps looking at you to gauge your reactions. Your gasp when he all but rips the bodice to get at your breasts and the moan you let out when he takes one of your nipples in his mouth makes him rock hard instantly. He pulls your torso up off the bed so he can toss the remainder of your clothing across the room before returning his mouth to yours, sliding his tongue against yours as he goes. 

Your fingers thread through his hair and he shudders, settling his body more firmly on top of yours and grinding against your now bared cunt through his pants. You’re too overwhelmed with his kisses to notice his hand sliding down your body, so you jolt when his fingers brush your clit. 

“Easy,” he chastised you, sliding his fingers slowly through your already soaked folds, “I might not be gentle, but you will be dripping for me before I take you, understand?” 

You nod enthusiastically and you miss his self-satisfied smirk when you throw your head back and cry out as he enters you with two of his thick fingers. 

“It won’t take long,” he tells you, leaning down suck harshly at one of your nipples as he fingers you open, “you’re nearly ready now.” 

“I’m ready,” you tell him, panting, and he shakes his head before adding a third finger and you nearly choke. He doesn’t say anything more, just moves his lips and teeth up to suck a mark against your neck. When he hits that perfect spot inside you, you grab his arm to keep it still and when Tovar bites your neck, you come  _ hard.  _

He waits until your pussy stops squeezing his fingers before he removes them only to shove his pants down and line up at your entrance. He slowly sinks into you and plants his elbows on either side of your head, mercifully allowing you a few seconds to adjust to him. 

“You can move, Pero,” you tell him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders to hold on. He’s nearly shaking with how much he’s holding back, so when he pulls out and slams back into you, your entire body slides up the bed and your head nearly hits the wall of the house. Tovar’s quick, though, and he angles you away from any danger of hitting your head before he starts really moving, setting a brutal pace as though he can’t make himself go any slower. 

He’s muttering curses in Spanish as he moves but anything you were going to say melts away as your senses are so consumed with Pero that all you can manage are gasps and moans. You arch your back when he squeezes your tits roughly, pushing your chest into his hold. 

“Shit,” he mutters, pulling out of you briefly to shove your legs further apart before he plunges back in, holding you down to the bed with his entire weight pressed against you. 

“Yes!” you cry out, finally finding your words,” “right there, fuck, Pero!”

His pace never slows as he teases, 

“Come again for me,hermosa, come on my cock so I can fill you up like you wanted, right?”

You answer him by pulling him down by his hair for another kiss, letting him swallow your sounds as you come again, squeezing tight like a vice around him. Pero grunts at the feeling and buries his face in your neck when he follows a few thrusts later, his hot pants fanning across your skin as you lay there, still pinned down by him but certainly not complaining. 

He pulls out after a few moments and stands to find a cloth to clean himself up. After he does, he turns to find you haven’t moved and gets a little concerned. He comes to the bedside and hovers over you. 

“Are you...alright?” 

The question is asked quietly, almost shyly, and you’re surprised to see the concern plainly on his face when you crack an eye open to look at him. 

“Yes,” you say chuckling and pushing yourself to sit up, “but you’re going to have to give me a moment after  _ that _ .” 

You can hear his exhale of relief as he sits back down on the bed, handing the cloth to you. You wipe yourself down and stand up on wobbly legs to toss it into the pile with your traveling clothes, all needing to be washed anyway. It takes you a minute to find your night dress and you can hear Pero rummaging around, stoking the fire behind you. When you stand back up, now somewhat covered, he’s laying back on the bed and he looks incredibly handsome by firelight. 

Pero catches you staring and jerks his head to get you to come back to bed. You’re surprised again when you settle into the straw mattress and he pulls another blanket over top of you before flipping over onto his stomach, draping an arm across your middle when he stretches out. He turns his head to face you when he says, 

“Tomorrow I’ll show you where everything is that we will need, but it’s too late tonight.” 

You turn on your side and shuffle a little closer to him to ask, 

“When will you need to hunt again?” 

He takes a moment to think before he answers and you can’t help watching his eyebrows scrunch and his lips twist in thought. 

“Not for a few weeks,” he says eventually, running his hand up and down your side absentmindedly, “are you concerned?” 

“No,” you say, even though you are slightly nervous about it, “but I would hate for my husband to leave me all alone in this bed so soon after our marriage.” 

Tovar quirks an eyebrow at you and promises, 

“You will be well worn out by the time I need to leave, wife.” 

He doesn’t miss the way his comment makes you shiver and he uses it as an excuse to pull you closer. 

“The night is chilly,” he says quietly, though you make no move to protest being squished against his bare chest. 

“You’ll keep me warm, though,” you say, sighing contentedly as your eyes slip shut. 

“Of course,” he whispers, letting his own eyes close as he follows you in slumber. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tovar and his new bride adjust to life together.

You learn a lot about Pero Tovar in the weeks that follow. He is still very much his gruff, seemingly prickly self, but it’s easy enough to pick up on his cues. For one, he tends to grumble about things, but he’s very patient with you. He shows you the nearby river where he washes clothes, the small barn that contains his horse, a cow, and a few chickens. It’s not an elaborate homestead by any means, but he has everything you’d need for your life together and you can’t help but be impressed.

The land surrounding his house is beautiful; it’s nearing winter now so the leaves are changing and the grass is drying up, but Pero makes the most of the area. You have a small garden to tend to and he moves the wooden bathing tub close to the house so you won’t have to carry hot water so far when he returns from his next trek into the woods to hunt. 

When you thank him for that, he waves you off and mumbles about it being nothing, you can’t help beaming at him. He looks over at you when you don’t respond and you swear you can see his eyes soften when he catches your grateful gaze. He doesn’t smile often, but you notice he seems less tense around you as the days go on and you grin at him more than enough for the both of you. 

Pero acts like your open expressions don’t affect him, but then he pushes you up against a tree one day while you’re waiting for your laundry to dry on the large rocks next to the river bed. 

“What has you smiling today, mi sol?” he rasps between filthy wet kisses to your lips, “is washing day amusing to you?” 

You shake your head and laugh, the sound dances across Pero’s ears like music. He kisses you one more time before kneeling in front of you on the ground and he thrills when your eyes go wide in understanding of what he’s about to do. 

“I want to hear you scream my name,” he tells you, pushing your skirt up for you to hold out of his way while he raises one of your legs over his shoulder. He sees you nod but that’s not good enough today so he pinches your thigh roughly and you squeak and look down to meet his eyes. 

“We are the only ones here, I want to hear you,” he tells you and his voice is stern as he continues, “do you understand?” 

“Yes!” you exclaim as he  _ finally _ starts to touch you with his skillful fingers. He buries his head between your thighs and you yell his name out while you throw your head back in pleasure and he thinks he could spend the rest of his life hearing you moan his name like that. 

(That day was hardly the first time he took you outside; he’s seemingly insatiable and you’re so enamored with him that you don’t struggle to keep up; you’re just as eager as he is.)

Later that night, after he’s fallen asleep, worn out from the day's work —and how hard he came when you took him in your mouth—you lie awake, thinking over how your life has changed so drastically. It was impossible to know what to expect from this intimidating former mercenary when you’d agreed to marry him a month ago, but you don’t regret your decision at all. Sure, he’s sometimes grumpy and his face is set in a near-permanent frown, but he’s not once gotten cross with you or treated you harshly and for that, you’re grateful. 

You’d heard stories of women who married and later were hurt, yelled at, subjected to all kinds of anger from their husbands and a small part of you worried this would be your fate as well. And while Pero doesn’t coddle you, he does treat you as an equal. The two of you work out a rhythm in your daily chores (and at least once daily fucking) that starts to feel very homey and you’re content for the first time in a long time.

Tovar makes a grumbling noise in his sleep and you reach out to stroke his hair, soothing him back to a restful slumber. His own arm slung around your middle draws you closer unconsciously, so you settle down next to him and close your eyes, letting the sounds of his unhurried breathing lull you to sleep. 

...

All too soon, your little bubble of newly married bliss pops when Pero tells you he’s leaving to hunt. He explains to you that this will be his last one of the year; since cold weather is approaching, he’ll stay home until spring when more animals are out. 

“How long will you be gone?” you ask that evening over supper, not feeling particularly hungry when you think about being alone again. 

“A week or so,” he informs you, wolfing down his food like normal. 

He glances up and sees you’re not eating with him.

“Eat, hermosa,” he says, pointing to your bowl, “you need your strength.” 

“I’m not hungry,” you tell him and he cuts his eyes at you, seemingly seeing through your lie. He stares at you and you stare right back until eventually he relents, holding out his piece of bread for you to take. 

“I will make you a deal,” he says once you take the food from his hand, “you eat both our bread, I will eat both our meat, huh?” 

Even though you don’t want to, you acquiesce and take a large bite as he watches. He finishes both portions of food quickly, then takes your hand and looks at you with those deadly serious dark eyes when he says, 

“You must promise to take care of yourself while I am away, mi sol.” 

“I will,” you promise, giving him a small smile in reassurance, but he doesn’t let your hand go. Instead, he pulls you up once you’re done and leads you to sit in front of the fire crackling in the hearth.

The silence that follows is heavy. You can tell Pero’s got something on his mind, so you wait, observing the way the lowlight makes him appear softer, more at ease. He surprises you when he asks, 

“Mi sol, will you be alright here by yourself?” 

“Yes, Pero,” you attempt to assure him, “I’ll be fine.” 

Another silence follows and you watch him curiously, wondering what brought this up. 

“You seemed,” he says, as if choosing his words carefully, “not yourself today.”

Ahh now you understand. You losing your appetite must have worried him and you feel a mix of guilt and giddiness that maybe the attachment you’re starting to feel towards him is reciprocated. Reaching out, you take his hand back in yours and lace your fingers together. 

“I didn’t mean to worry you,” you tell him, rubbing your thumb along his while you talk, “I guess I’m just used to having you with me now.”

Pero stares at your intertwined hands and you swear he smiles a little when he teases, 

“But you will finish your work much faster without me to distract you.” 

“I like the distraction,” you tell him, heartbeat speeding up when he leans down to brush his lips against yours. All he has to do is tug on your hand and you’re moving to straddle him and whimpering when he sucks on your bottom lip. It’s too desperate to even undress all the way; Tovar yanks his pants down and you pull up your skirt just enough to sink down on him and you both groan at the stretch. 

You want to tell him you’ll miss him and to be careful, but his lips are too distracting and the only word you can manage is a shout of his name when he drives up into you  _ just _ right and Pero breathes your name against your skin when he finishes just after you do. 

He shifts slightly to pull out of you but doesn’t seem in a hurry to get up, letting you slump against his chest. His hands slide under your dress, roaming your bare skin, and you  _ want _ to tell him so many things, but you decide now isn’t the right time. You wouldn’t want to ruin such a nice moment. 

Laying against him is so comfortable that you nearly fall asleep, but Tovar eventually pushes you up to stand and follows you as you collapse into bed. Neither of you say anything, but the comforting weight of his hand on your back is enough to send you into a deep sleep. 

What you don’t get to see is the way your husband watches you that night. He’s mesmerized by the gentle rise and fall of your breathing and he lets himself smile, fully, just for a moment. One day he’ll find the words to tell you how lucky he feels...just not tonight. 

…

The next morning, Pero tries to slip out of the house without waking you. He’s never tried to be so quiet before, but you’re sleeping so soundly he doesn’t want to wake you before the sun rises. Once he’s dressed, he goes out to feed the animals and get his horse ready—he doesn’t technically have to feed them this early but something in him wants to do it so you won’t have to.

He slips back in to grab his cloak for the cold nights ahead and the noise of the door opening wakes you up. He watches as your arm reaches out for him to find that his side of the bed is empty. When you sit up and see him still there, you grin sleepily at him and his heart thumps in his chest. 

Brushing that aside, he whispers gruffly, 

“Go back to sleep, it’s early.” 

He’s unsurprised when you don’t listen to him, instead climbing out of bed and padding over. 

“I will if you give me a kiss.” 

Tovar rolls his eyes at you and mumbles something but he leans down and presses his lips to yours all the same. 

“I’ll be back soon,” he says when he pulls away. You nod and he can’t stop himself from stealing another kiss before he heads for the door, stopping to point to the latch he nailed into it last week and reminding you, 

“Make sure this is locked at night, mi sol.” 

You roll your eyes back at him and promise you will before he closes the door and mounts his horse, riding off towards the forest. 

…

The days that follow are long and boring. Without Tovar around you do finish your daily work faster, but that leaves you hours to think about things you’d rather forget. Before you got married, you were plagued with nightmares most nights—either reliving your family’s tragedy or your humiliation by the minister's son over and over. 

The third night after he leaves, you wake up in a cold sweat, feeling like a terrified child. In the darkness, it feels impossible to soothe yourself. Even just having Pero near would be a comfort to you, but you’re alone again, just like you were that whole horrible year. Sobs wrack your chest and you can feel your head starting to ache from all the turmoil your dreams put you through. 

You decide to get up and grab one of Pero’s extra shirts. He only has a handful and he took one change of clothes with him on his hunt. Still wiping tears off your face, you slip it over your head as an extra layer. Even though you’ve cleaned it, it still smells like him. The scent does the trick and you’re able to stop panicking. You make yourself take a long breath in and an even longer one out. You start speaking out loud to yourself, a habit you’d hoped not to need anymore, 

“You’re safe, you’re safe, you’re safe.” 

You repeat the words over and over and over until you feel calm again. It makes you feel stupid, needing to talk out loud to no one, but it helps in the moment. 

Even though you know you won’t sleep much more tonight, you make yourself get back in bed and purposefully think of your husband. You picture him tending to the cow and speaking softly to his horse. You imagine his heated gaze as you bathed in the river. If you think hard enough, you can almost feel his hands in yours, pulling you up from the ground when you’d tripped over a root in the vegetable bed and fell flat on your ass. 

Before long, you feel your eyes drifting shut, praying silently that the rest of the days without him would pass more quickly. 

…

In the afternoon of the eighth day since Pero left, you’re tending to the garden. It’s quiet and you can hear birds chirping overhead as you pull weeds around your vegetables, picking ripe tomatoes off the vines as you go. It’s likely the last crop of them this year judging by the weather and you’re thinking a stew would be nice for dinner when there’s movement just outside your vision and your head snaps up to see a wolf staring you down from the tree line. 

You stop and watch, hoping it will turn away. It doesn’t charge you, but it’s gaze never leaves you. Slowly, you place your basket down and start to step back towards the house. You’re defenseless in the garden as the axe is in the barn and Pero’s got his bow and arrow with him. There’s his old long sword in the house, but you’re pretty far away. You take a few more large steps before the animal begins stalking toward you, picking up his gait.

The creature snarls at you and you freeze, suddenly unable to move from fear. It’s getting closer and you don’t know what to do. Should you turn your back on it and run? Stand your ground and hit it with the basket of tomatoes? Time is running out when suddenly there’s a whistling noise cutting through the air and the wolf jerks it’s head at the new sound before whimpering and dropping to the ground, an arrow in its leg. 

You hear your name and look up to see Pero dismount his horse and run toward you. 

“Are you alright?” he asks, panting from exertion. 

“You’re back,” you say in response, feeling a little dazed. 

Pero looks you up and down and sees no visible marks, nothing appears to be bleeding. You’re just standing there, staring up at him with wide eyes and he feels pain in his chest at seeing you so frightened. 

“Take the horse to eat and wait for me,” he instructs harshly and you scramble to obey, jogging over to his horse and gently leading her to her stall. You don’t know what Pero does with the wolf, but he appears in the barn shortly after, none the worse for wear. You’d busied yourself with caring for the horse, taking off her reins and saddle and making sure she has enough to eat in her stall. 

“Come here,” Pero says to you once you’re done. He’s hanging up the pelts he got on the far end of the barn. You’re not entirely sure exactly what he needs to do, but he makes quick work of it. He hangs up the last one over a beam and turns to you, hands on his hips. 

“You’re trembling,” he says, nodding at your shaking hands. You shrug and fold your arms over your chest, unsure how to respond without bursting into tears. 

“Are you alright?” he asks again, wiping his hands carefully before he reaches one out, lifts your chin to look him in the eyes. 

“I was scared,” you confess, feeling so embarrassed for admitting it, “I didn’t know what to do.” 

You swallow hard and Tovar’s eyes watch you closely. He takes a second just to look at you, he can’t find the words to tell you how relieved he is that you’re real. While he was gone, he almost convinced himself you were made up, conjured in a dream. But you’re flesh and blood and here and  _ his _ . Though you scared the life out of him a few moments ago, he thinks he’s never been happier to see another human being than he was when he came around the trees and saw you standing in front of his home. 

So instead of using words, he pulls you close and kisses you. It’s rougher than he intended, but you cling to him and deepen the kiss and he wants to push you up against the wall and take you right there. But he knows he needs to wash and the prospect of bathing with you? That makes his cock twitch in his pants.

“Come, let’s get inside” he tells you after you break apart for air.You’re confused, but let him pull you along toward the house. 

Once the tub is full, Tovar strips bare and sinks into the water, signing loudly at how good it feels. You hand him the soap and he lets his eyes rake up and down your body. 

“Take off your clothes, wife” he tells you, holding his hand out toward you. You do as he says and he helps you in. Instead of turning you away from him, he guides you to straddle his lap instead. He kisses you again and you can’t help the gasp you let out when you feel something hot and hard bump against your leg. 

“Happy to see me, husband?” you question with a wink and he wraps his arms around you and hauls you against his chest. Your squeak of surprise makes him chuckle and he asks, 

“Are you ready for me? I won’t last long.” 

“I’ve been ready since you shot that wolf,” you tell him with a grin and he growls, snapping his hips up into you, suddenly unable to wait any longer.

He’s right; he doesn’t last long. But his fingers more than make up for it once he finishes, staying buried inside you to the hilt as he rubs your clit slowly, almost tenderly. You whine, loud and long and come undone faster than you realized you could. He stays inside you while you both come down and he nuzzles your neck, nosing along your skin while he keeps you pressed tight to his chest. Eventually, the water turns cold and you both get out and dress in clean clothes. 

You climb into bed early that evening, after you’ve eaten and put the tub back in it’s spot outside. Pero doesn’t say a word when you lay your head on his chest, just drapes his arms around you and keeps you close. Neither of you speak for a long while, just basking in each other’s presence in the stillness of the night. 

Pero breaks the silence, speaking your name quietly. You roll your head to look at him and he’s looking down at your sternly, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face. 

“Have you seen any other animals close to the house?” he asks, moving one hand from your shoulder to scratch at his beard. 

“None,” you tell him and he seems satisfied with that. You’re about to get comfortable again when Pero speaks again, turning his intense gaze back on you. 

“I won’t let anything harm you, mi sol,” he tells you, serious as ever. You feel yourself welling up with tears, but you don’t want to cry so you push yourself up to be eye level with him before you respond, 

“I trust you with my life, Pero.” 

Your words stir something in his gut, a sense of possession he’s not sure he’s ever felt before. He crushes his lips to yours in response and you melt against him, finally at peace again with Pero back in your bed. 


End file.
